Embracing the Absurd: A Leadership Journey

Hello, my friend (well, even if we aren't friends, I still like to think of you that way.)

I've been finding a great deal of absurdity in today's world beyond the fact that you park in a driveway and drive on a parkway or that a boxing ring is really a square. Then, one day, an article?about philosopher?Albert Camus and his concept of Absurdism popped into my inbox. It resonated with me and the concepts I've been using and teaching?around purpose, freedom, and power.?So, that's the topic of today's article. I truly hope you enjoy it and would love for you to share this and leave your thoughts below. Thanks!

In the labyrinth of leadership, we often find ourselves at a crossroads where the path forward isn’t just unclear—it seems utterly nonsensical. This, my friend, is the realm of the absurd, a concept explored by philosopher Albert Camus, who argued that life is inherently meaningless. Yet, it is human nature to seek meaning and clarity. In fact, our brain is a meaning-making machine. It tries to fit everything that it senses or thinks into existing patterns. It’s absurd. ??

Recently, I read a few articles on Absurdism, which made me pause and think about what I’ve been doing and teaching over the past two decades. There is power and freedom behind the Absurdism concept. I love how it aligns with the concepts and practices of neuro-axiology and valuegenic self-leadership. I invite you to read and share your thoughts as I try to pull these together for you.

As leaders, we have logical, rational frameworks that we rely on to generate the value and create the things that we are attempting to create. Yet, inevitably, reality doesn’t cooperate. Reality doesn’t follow our amazing plans and framework. Otherwise, as project managers, we’d create the plan at the very beginning, and then we wouldn’t be needed after that. But, the project pieces never align perfectly with the plan, the goals often seem contradictory, and the well-laid plans unravel. It is in these moments that our conventional mindset—our brain’s demand to create the path?before?taking the steps necessary to manifest our dream or goal—becomes a barrier. Our brain begins to value its ideas over reality, filling our head with a lot of shoulds and shouldn’ts.

Our illusions (misperceptions or misinterpretations of reality), over time, turn into delusions (fixed false beliefs).

The Power of the Absurd in Leadership

So, what can we do? Imagine leading a project destined for uncharted territory. Every step feels like a leap into the unknown (well, because it is!) Here, absurdism teaches us a vital lesson: embrace the lack of inherent meaning as freedom—freedom to create purpose, to forge your path where none exists, guided by the values we hold and commitment to the vision we aspire to achieve.

In my corporate days, I had this experience. As a project manager, I was on a project that seemed doomed from the start—desired deliverables were shifting, and the client team kept changing the objectives, bringing more people?and their opinions?into the fold. A $500k project quickly (through change requests) turned into an almost $2M project. Instead of seeking a clear ‘how,’ we focused on ‘why’ and allowed the team to navigate through the absurdity using their individual expertise, instincts, and innovation. The results were unexpectedly successful. While the project took a year longer than originally expected, the executives at the client site praised us. Proving that sometimes, not knowing how before we start something frees us to explore possibilities we never would have considered.

Neuro-Axiology: Harnessing Our Best Thinking

Neuro-axiology, integrating neuroscience and value-driven decision-making, offers tools to align our thinking with our heart’s desires effectively. It encourages us to let our brains figure out ‘how’?after?our hearts decide ‘what.’ This cognitive alignment is crucial when dealing with the absurd.

If you’ve ever attended one of my workshops or web events or participated in my courses and coaching, you know how to approach the absurd. In almost every session, we discuss creating (not finding) your purpose. And, by purpose, we don’t just mean the physical tangible outcome. We teach you how to create your “being” purpose (how you want to show up in the world) as well as your doing purpose.

Leaders, I urge you to reflect on the moments you felt paralyzed by the need for a crystal clear “doing” path before you even took the first step. How often did this need stifle your desire to act? By accepting the absurd, we acknowledge that while the world may lack meaning, our actions can still be purposeful. How so?

Creating Purpose Amid Uncertainty

Here’s a practical start:

• Reflect on your values?& desires: What truly matters to you as a leader? What do you want? Not just what do you want to DO, but also WHO do you want to BE, and how can you practice showing up in this way? Let these guide your decisions.
• Embrace uncertainty: Use it as a catalyst for innovation and imagination rather than a trigger for stagnation. Stop trying to fit it into an existing pattern or process or framework. Sure, those can be helpful guides (I’m not saying to throw those away). Absurdity and uncertainty allow us to be creative.
• Actively shape meaning: Instead of searching for external validation, define what success looks like on your own terms.

In embracing the absurd, we find a paradoxical clarity. The path may not be clear or easy, but it is yours to shape. As you lead through these challenging times, remember that your purpose is not found “out there” but created from within through your choices and manifested by your actions.

Let us lead, not by avoiding the absurd, but by embracing it as an opportunity to demonstrate the true strength of our leadership.

Want to learn more about HOW to embrace absurdity?

Subscribe to this newsletter and keep your eyes ?? open for an upcoming virtual event!